The harmattan season has only just begun, yet communities in the Northern Region are already feeling the weight of its harsh realities. On Tuesday night, a devastating fire outbreak at Dabil Fong in Tamale left 42-year-old Mutaka Abdul-Rahim in tears as his four-bedroom house was completely consumed by flames.
According to eyewitnesses, Mutaka broke down upon seeing the scale of destruction. Years of savings, personal belongings, household items, important documents, and cherished family possessions were lost within minutes as the fire tore through the building.
“I have never seen him cry like that. Everything was gone. He just held his head and wept,” a neighbour recounted.
The fire, which residents say spread rapidly due to the dry winds and low humidity of the early harmattan season, left little chance for anything to be salvaged. Community members rushed in to help, but the blaze overwhelmed their efforts.
Mutaka and his family are now displaced and seeking temporary shelter while counting their losses.
Every harmattan, communities across Northern Ghana brace themselves for an increase in fire outbreaks. The combination of dry vegetation, strong winds, and human activities such as cooking, burning refuse, and faulty electrical connections creates conditions conducive to fast-spreading fires.
Last year, the Ghana National Fire Service recorded dozens of incidents within just the first month of the dry season, a pattern that appears to be repeating.
Authorities are urging residents to remain extra cautious, inspect electrical systems, properly extinguish cooking fires, and avoid burning vegetation close to homes.
But for Mutaka Abdul-Rahim, the warnings have come too late. His home now lies in ashes, a painful reminder of how quickly lives can change during the harmattan. As he begins the long journey of rebuilding, the community is calling for support to help the family recover from the loss.
By: Prince Kwame Tamakloe